DHCS Announces Delay in Cal MediConnect Program

Voluntary enrollment into the program will now start no sooner than April 2014.

October 2013

The California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) announced on Monday, August 19 that the implementation of the Cal MediConnect program has been delayed. The new start date will be no sooner than April 2014. This delay is due in part to the continuing assessment that the State, CMS and the participating Cal MediConnect health plans are conducting around timing, rates and other unresolved issues.

Cal MediConnect is a three-year voluntary program for people with both Medicare and Medi-Cal. It benefits seniors and people with disabilities and will combine medical, behavioral, long-term and home- and community-based services in one health plan.

As a participating health plan, we believe this delay is the right decision for L.A. Care, for Dual Eligibles and for the doctors, specialists, hospitals and other health care professionals who care for Dual Eligibles. It will provide everyone with additional time to refine our programs and processes to ensure an even more successful launch.